8/22/09

B-Mets 3, Connecticut 2




Connecticut put the tying run in scoring position in each of the last four innings, but could not tally against the B-Mets bullpen, which secured a 3-2 win for starter Mike Antonini with four, scoreless innings of relief Friday night at Dodd Stadium. Ruben Tejada paced the offense with two hits, including the game-winning RBI triple in the sixth inning.

Binghamton (48-75) cracked the scoreboard first in the third. Jose Coronado got the ball rolling with a one-out single to center off start Garrett Broshuis. Coronado promptly took second and then third on a Josh Thole strikeout that got away from Defenders catcher Jackson Williams. With two outs, Shawn Bowman singled into center scoring Coronado, pitting the B-Mets a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth, Binghamton tallied again when Mark Kiger walked to start the frame. Antonini sacrificed him up to second where Tejada drove him home from with an RBI single to right, making it 2-0.

Connecticut (71-53) moved within a run in the fourth on an RBI single from Mike Mooney and tied the score on an RBI double from Eddie Martinez-Esteve. Martinez Esteve finished the game 4-4 with an RBI and a walk.

The B-Mets snatched the lead back in the next half inning. Kiger began the frame with a single and once again was sacrificed up to second by Antonini. Tejada strode to the plate again and drove Kiger in with a triple to left-center, putting Binghamton ahead for good 3-2.

Jose De La Torre, Roy Merritt and Connor Robertson worked in and out of trouble in the final four innings to hold the win for Antonini. Robertson fired the final 1.2 innings for his 11th save.

Antonini (6-3) hurled five innings and allowed two runs on eight hits to pick up the win.

Broshuis (3-4) was charged with the loss for allowing three runs in six innings on 10 hits.

Thole went 3-5 to lead the B-Mets in hits and Kiger was 2-3 with two runs scored.

Binghamton will meet Connecticut in the second game of the series Saturday night. The B-Mets will toss LHP Eric Niesen (2-6, 5.62) and the Defenders counter with RHP Geivy Garcia (2-3, 4.61). The first pitch is slated for 6:35 and the radio broadcast on Newsradio 1290 WNBF begins at 6:20 with the Horizons Federal Credit Union Pre-Game Show.

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